No Home for the Holidays (4 page)

“I don't have any friends.” The words sounded sad and hollow, but it was the truth.

“I meant one of my friends.”

Chloe didn't want other people involved in her mess. It wouldn't be safe. The real Marcy Jones had tried to help. Tears filled Chloe's eyes as she thought of her friend. She'd given her life to save Chloe. No one else would die because of her mistakes. She shouldn't even be letting the preacher help. “Take me to the bus station.”

“Then what?”

“Then I find a new place to live. I don't want to get anyone else involved. It's my mess, my responsibility. I can handle it.” She'd managed for more than three years.

“OK. But I think it would be better to go a bus station further away than Canton. Say Cincinnati or Indianapolis. Just on the off chance he's staking out the closer ones. It's hard to know how many people are working with him.”

She thought about that. He was probably right. “Columbus will be fine. Drive me there and then I'll be on my way.” She'd let him do that much. “I can find a room there if I need to.”

“And I know just the sleazy motel.” He grinned.

“Could you make it one without bedbugs?”

He laughed. “I can't guarantee it, but I'll try.”

“Can I get up now?”

“Nobody followed us as far as I could tell, so it should be safe.”

She moved up to the seat. “Good, my back was starting to hurt.”

“You're quite the complainer, aren't you?”

“I am no such thing.”

“Sure you are. No bedbugs. My back hurts. The house is dirty. No this. No that.” His laughter told her he was teasing. How long had it been since anyone had done that?

“What can I say?” She turned toward him. “I like what I like.”

“And I like a woman who knows what she wants.” He turned to her with a smile that reached up to those blue eyes.

Her heart did a flip.
Don't even think about it, Chloe.
Her life was complicated enough as it was. There was no way she could take a chance on getting involved with anyone—let alone a preacher. “So, Columbus, it is.”

He drove for a few minutes before he asked the question. “What's going on with you, Chloe? Maybe I can help.”

“You can't help. And the less you know the better. But it's nice of you to offer. Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself.”

“You'd be surprised how helpful I can be.”

“I'm not trying to be difficult or rude. Really. But you can't help me. Nobody can.” She'd messed up and now she had to pay for her sins.

“God can.”

“Yeah, right! I'm the last person He wants to help.” She'd prayed and still she was in this mess. But she didn't blame God for being mad at her. She deserved it.

“That's not true, Chloe. God—”

“I don't want to discuss it. If you keep badgering me, I'll walk to Columbus.”

“I see your picture every week on your father's show. He seems to love you. After all, he's offering a substantial reward to find you. Do you hate him that much? After all you're an adult so you can live any way you choose.”

The least she could do was tell him the truth. “I don't hate my father. I love him and the rest of my family.”

“Then why are you running from the guy who wants to take you back to him?”

“Because someone else wants to kill me. If he thinks my family might know where I am, they'd be in danger. It's really not safe to be around me. I refuse to put my family in danger—or you. That's why you should go back to your church and leave me alone.”

“Jesus commanded us to love one another.”

“I'm not your new love interest, Colton.”

He laughed. “I'm not looking for a girlfriend. I'm trying to help you. Love takes on many different forms, not just romance.”

“The way you can help me is to take me to the bus station so I can go find a new hiding place. As long as my family doesn't know where I am, they'll be safe. He has no reason to kill them.”

8

Colton had to get to the bottom of this mystery if he was going to help her—really help her. “Who won't kill them?”

Chloe shook her head. “If I tell you, then you'll be in danger, too?”

“Your family knows who wants to kill you?”

“Of course not. They don't even know why I left. But after that FBI agent got kill—”

“FBI? John Smith told me he was FBI. Even showed a badge, but I dismissed the idea since he wasn't acting much like one. Could he really be FBI?”

“It's possible.”

“Oh, great. Now what have I done?”

“If he was FBI, why'd he keep talking about the reward money?”

“Good point. FBI agents can't accept any rewards offered for missing people or arrests.” He knew that to be a fact. “Is there a warrant out for your arrest?”

“It's possible.”

“Are there any other possibilities I should be aware of?”

“I told you the situation was complicated. I didn't ask you to rescue me. In fact, I told you to leave me alone.”

That wasn't going to happen. God had put her in his church for a reason, and Colton intended to see it through to the end. But he needed more information to do that. “Exactly how many people are out there hunting for you?”

She didn't say anything, almost as if she was mentally counting. Finally, she said, “Well, there are the people who see that stupid reward my dad puts on TV every week. I have no idea how many people that could be. And then there's the FBI, who, as far as I know, only want to talk to me, but they may want to arrest me. And, of course, there's the guy who wants to kill me. And anyone he hires, plus this John Smith guy. Whoever he is.”

A lot more than he'd imagined. It was hard to believe she'd been able to stay in hiding this long. “Why don't you turn yourself into the FBI? They can keep you safe.”

She shook her head. “That is so not true. That's why I started running in the first place. The FBI had me at a safe house and we were attacked. An agent…was killed.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Then Marcy talked me into calling them again so I did. She's dead now.” Her voice caught. “And all because she helped me. But after that second time, I know I can't trust the FBI. Or anyone else. I won't let anyone else get hurt because of me. That's why you should get as far away from me as possible.”

“Going to need some gas soon.” He'd keep quiet about being a former agent. No need to upset her more than she already was.

“You see what I mean, don't you?” Her voice was insistent. “Even if the FBI could keep me safe, they can't keep all the people I love safe. The only way I can keep them safe is to keep hiding and running.”

“Aren't you tired of that? That's no way to live, Chloe.”

“I don't have a choice.”

The pain in her voice broke his heart. “I can understand why you might feel that way, but do you really think your family would agree with your choice? You can't live like this forever.”

“Yes I can. And it's my choice, not theirs. I don't want to cause them any more pain.”

“You don't think they're in pain now?”

“It can't be helped. I won't deliberately put them in danger.”

Well, God, You put her in my path for a reason. And I'll do what I can to help her. I expect You to have my back, though.

Both of them were quiet as he continued toward Columbus. He pulled off an exit, driving to the nearest bank.

“What are you doing?”

“You'll need money.”

She patted the satchel on her lap. “That's not a problem.”

“Good to know, but I'll need some, too.”

“Before I left I managed to get the money from my college fund. And I live simple so I have plenty left.”

“Glad to know you didn't rob a bank.”

After he left the ATM, he put the car in park and pulled out his cellphone.

“What are you doing now?”

He pulled out the battery. “If the FBI's involved, I don't want them tracing us. If you have a cellphone, better do the same.”

“I don't have one. That's the first thing I learned about being on the run. Stay off the grid. No phone. No computer. Nothing that can be traced.”

“Smart.”

“The FBI agent that got killed is the one who taught me that.”

He put the car in gear and got back on the freeway.

“Hey, you're going the wrong way.”

“I wanted them to think we were heading south. If anyone tracked me this far, they'll think we're going to Columbus or Cincinnati.”

“That's smart. So where are we going? Cleveland?”

“I'm not sure.” He signaled as he approached the exit. “Probably Akron.”

“I don't want you going out of your way for me.”

“Too late. I already have.” He just hoped it wouldn't get him arrested. “And it's my fault that John Smith found you in the first place. So I need to help you out of the mess.”

“Why?”

“If I hadn't taken the photo he probably wouldn't have found you. And chances are he followed me to your house when I went there. I can't imagine how else he found you.”

She put her hands to her head as if she had a headache.

“I'm really sorry.”

“It's not your fault, Colton. You didn't mean for any of this to happen.” After that, she was silent.

He took an exit and then headed toward Akron.

Chloe's head leaned against the seat. She must be exhausted.

He whispered, “Chloe, are you asleep?”

“Sort of.”

“I really wish you'd let me help. And I don't mean by taking you to a bus station. I mean ending this nightmare. So you can go home. If you let me help, I might get you home before Christmas.”

She shook her head. “Impossible.”

“It's not. With God, all things are possible. I believe He brought us together so I can help you. I haven't always been a preacher, you know.”

“What else have you been?”

He tapped the brake as he approached a red traffic light. “Once upon a time, I was an FBI agent.” The car rolled to a stop.

“FBI. You were an FBI agent.”

“I was.”

She stared at him for a second. The car door opened and she hopped out.

9

As her feet hit the pavement, the frigid wind slapped her in the face. Chloe didn't care how cold it was. She had to get away from Colton before he had her in FBI custody. If that happened, people would die. And she wouldn't let someone die because of her again.

She ran to the edge of the road.

Colton called for her.

She wasn't even sure where she was. But she needed to make a decision. Now before Colton could get to her.

Back the way they'd come. The road was divided. It wouldn't be easy for Colton to get turned around and come back. By that time, she'd be long gone.

She jogged on the sidewalk. The falling snow made it difficult to see. She peered through the darkness, trying to find a place to hide.

Colton was a former FBI agent. He might want to help her, but in the end, he'd choose the right thing to do. Meaning contacting the FBI.

A car approached.

She peered through the darkness.

A black SUV threaded through the swirling snow, its headlights giving an ominous glare.

~*~

Finding out he was ex-FBI had scared Chloe more than Colton had anticipated. Her jumping out of the car had freaked him out. Still driving, he whispered a quick prayer for her. She'd made her choice—and it wasn't him or his help. He turned the car around and headed back, scanning both sides of the road for Chloe.

Just in case.

Maybe, he'd call her father to let him know she was all right—or had been the last time he'd seen her. That might give her family some comfort during this holiday season.

He slowed as he came to the area where she'd jumped out.

A black SUV was stopped on the side of the road blocking his view.

His foot slammed on the brake at the same time he put the car in park. He jumped out of the car and climbed over the cement barrier in the median strip.

~*~

Her feet froze.

John Smith stepping out of the vehicle unfroze them.

Chloe ran, but the sidewalk was icy so she slipped. She managed to keep from falling. But before she'd taken more than a few steps, an arm grabbed her. Then two.

“Nice to finally meet you, Chloe.”

With all her strength, she hit him with her satchel.

His hand loosened from her arm.

Taking advantage, she kicked him.

He stumbled, but his massive arms encircled her in a bear hug before she could run away. “Relax. I'm not going to hurt you, Chloe. I promise. You don't have to be afraid of me. I just want the reward money.”

Her fists slammed against his chest, but he acted as if he didn't feel it. She kept struggling but was no match for his strength. He dragged her towards his car.

“Let me go. You have no right.” As if he cared about her rights.

“Look. I just want the money. I'm not going to hurt you so come along like a nice girl. Don't make this more difficult than it has to be.”

“This is kidnapping,” she yelled as she struggled to get away.

“Tell it to the cops.” He laughed.

“Let go of her.”

Colton.

“Preacher, stay out of this. It doesn't have anything to do with you. I'm just trying to make a living.”

“Don't make me shoot you.”

Chloe stared at Colton.

He had a gun pointed at the two of them. A preacher with a gun?

“I'm not going to hurt her, preacher. I just want the money. Gonna take her to her back to collect the reward. No big deal. So mind your own business.”

“Don't believe him, Colton,” she screamed. “He'll get me killed.”